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30 October 2007:
Prevent Crashes When Copying Text from a Website
Sometimes when you copy a Web page and try to paste it into Microsoft Word, the graphics in the Web content will cause Word to freeze or crash. To prevent this, try these fixes:
• Do not paste an entire Web page into Word.
• Copy small sections of the Web page and paste them into Word one by one.
• Do not copy text and Web pictures simultaneously.
• If possible, copy and paste each picture or image individually.
• A never-fail alternative is to paste the Web content into Notepad, and then transfer it to Word. This option is ideal for large blocks of text. A word of caution: pasting Web content into Notepad strips out all pictures, images, and graphics, leaving only plain text. If you’re okay with that, follow these steps to transfer Web content:
1. Click the Start button in the lower-left corner of Windows.
2. Click All Programs.
3. Select Accessories.
4. Click Notepad.
5. Copy the website text and paste it into Notepad, which will strip the text of its Web format and convert it to plain text.
6. Copy the text from Notepad and paste it into Word.
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31 October 2007:
Easily Locate Your Downloads
Have you ever downloaded a program, video, or picture from the Internet but been unable to find where it went? No matter where you search, you just can’t seem to locate it. And because you can’t remember the name of the download, the Windows Search Companion is useless. This is a common problem for many Internet surfers. A quick, easy solution is to create a special folder on your hard drive that will store all of your downloads. Here’s how:
1. Double-click the My Computer icon on your desktop. If this icon is not available, then click the Start button in the lower-left corner of Windows and click My Computer.
2. A window opens. Double-click the icon for your C: drive
3. Click the File drop-down menu.
4. Select New.
5. Select Folder.
6. A new folder (aptly named New Folder) appears in your C: drive. Right-click it, and then select Rename.
7. Type a new name for the folder such as Downloads or My Downloads.
8. Each time you download a new file or program, save it to your new downloads folder so that you always know where to find it.
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01 November 2007:
Prevent Broken Downloads
Here is an Internet experience you probably can identify with: your download is nearly complete  97, 98, 99 percent  when suddenly it freezes. Minutes pass, but nothing happens. The download is dead  and now you have to waste time doing it all over again. Fortunately, this frustration is a thing of the past thanks to download managers. Not only can these indispensable programs resume a broken download, but they also can speed up the process by dividing the download into small segments that are easier to retrieve. Here are some popular download managers (in no particular order):
• GetRight (http://www.getright.com)
• ReGet Pro (http://pro.reget.com)
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02 November 2007:
Reduce the Internet Cache
If you are running out of room on your hard drive, you can free up space by reducing the size of the Internet cache, also known as the Temporary Internet Files. This is the place where Internet Explorer stores copies of the images, sounds, and other information related to the websites you have visited recently. The cache actually speeds up your Internet connection by allowing Internet Explorer to view the copies of those Web-related files rather than having to retrieve new versions of them from the Internet. However, this feature can also gobble up precious room on a full hard drive. So if creating extra space is your primary concern, you should reduce the size of the cache. Follow these steps:
1. Open Internet Explorer.
2. Click the Tools drop-down menu.
3. Select Internet Options.
4. A window opens. Under the General tab, look for Temporary Internet Files. Click the Settings button.
5. Another window opens. Find the box with a number in it, which is located next to Amount of Disk Space to Use. This number indicates the size of your Internet cache (listed in megabytes). If you are running seriously low on hard drive space, delete the current number, and in its place type a small number like 50 or 25. If you have a bit more room to spare on your hard drive, you can set the cache at a higher number like 250 or 500.
6. Click the OK button.
7. You are returned to the previous window. Click the OK button.
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03 November 2007:
Save QuickTime Movies for Free
QuickTime is a great program for viewing multimedia content on the Internet, such as the free movie trailers available at http://www.apple.com/trailers.
However, the basic, free version of this program does not allow you to save videos directly to your desktop. To access that feature, you are required to upgrade to QuickTime Pro (you have to pay for the upgrade). Fortunately, there is a way to get around this problem:
Note This technique might not work with some QuickTime movies.
1. Open the free version of QuickTime. If you have a shortcut to it on your desktop, then double-click it and jump ahead to Step 7.
2. If you cannot find a shortcut to QuickTime, then double-click the My Computer icon on your desktop.
3. A window opens. Double-click the icon for your C: drive
4. Double-click the Program Files folder.
5. Double-click the QuickTime folder.
6. Double-click the QuickTimePlayer file.
7. QuickTime opens. If a message pops up and suggests that you should upgrade to QuickTime Pro, click the Later button.
8. Click the Edit drop-down menu.
9. Select Preferences.
10. Click QuickTime Preferences.
11. A window opens. Click the drop-down menu and select Browser Plug-in.
12. Put a checkmark in the Save Movies in Disk Cache box.
13. Exit the window by clicking the X
14. Connect to the Internet and visit a website like http://www.apple.com/trailers that has QuickTime content you want to save to your computer.
15. View the video in its entirety, and then exit the QuickTime program.
16. To locate a copy of the video you just watched, you need to unhide the Internet cache. Click the Start button in the lower-left corner of Windows.
17. Click the Control Panel. (If you don’t see this option, then your Start menu is in classic mode. In that case, click Settings, and then select the Control Panel.)
18. If the Control Panel is in category view, click the Appearance and Themes category, and then click the Folder Options icon. If the Control Panel is in classic view, simply double-click the Folder Options icon.
19. A window opens. Click the View tab.
20. Under the Advanced Settings heading, scroll down and click the Show Hidden Files and Folders button.
21. Click the Apply button.
22. Click the OK button.
23. Double-click the My Computer icon on your desktop.
24. A window opens. Double-click the icon for your C: drive
25. Double-click the Documents and Settings folder.
26. Double-click the folder that has the same name as your Windows account. For example, if your Windows account is named Bob, then click the Bob folder.
27. Double-click the Local Settings folder.
28. Right-click the Temporary Internet Files folder and select Send To.
29. Click Desktop (Create Shortcut). This creates a desktop shortcut to the cache, which saves you from the hassle of having to manually locate it again in the future.
30. Double-click the Temporary Internet Files folder. This opens the cache.
31. The easiest way to find your QuickTime movie is to sort the files in the cache according to their file type. Click the View drop-down menu.
32. Select Arrange Icons By.
33. Click Type.
34. Use the horizontal scroll bar at the bottom of the cache window to scroll toward the right. Look for the Type column.
35. Use the vertical scroll bar to scroll down the Type column. Look for the QuickTime Movie file-type. This is the video you just watched.
36. Use the horizontal scroll bar to scroll back toward the left. Right-click the name of the QuickTime file and select Copy.
37. Exit the cache by clicking the X button in the upper-right corner.
38. Open a folder on your computer where you want to store the QuickTime video (such as the My Documents folder).
39. Inside your chosen folder, right-click the empty space and select Paste. The QuickTime video is pasted into this folder. Now you can play the video normally, just like any other multimedia file on your computer.
40. The final thing to do is re-hide the cache and other special folders.
41. In the future, whenever you want to find another QuickTime video that has been saved to your computer, simply double-click the desktop shortcut you created to the Temporary Internet Files folder. This saves you from the hassle of manually locating the cache all over again.
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04 November 2007:
Block Pop-Ups
Make your Internet experience faster, safer, and less cluttered by using a pop-up blocker to stop annoying Web advertisements from pestering you. This is one of the easiest things you can do to reduce online hassles  and it won’t cost you a cent.
There are two types of pop-up blockers:
• Built-In Blockers: The latest releases of popular Web browsers like Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Opera have pop-up blockers built into them. If your browser is outdated, this is a great reason to upgrade.
Note
To use Internet Explorer’s pop-up blocker, you must install Service Pack 2 from the Windows Update website.
• Toolbars: Several reputable companies offer free toolbars that hook into your Web browser to block pop-ups and provide Internet search capabilities.
For example:
• Yahoo Toolbar (http://toolbar.yahoo.com); also has an antispyware feature known as Anti-Spy
• MSN Toolbar (http://toolbar.msn.com)
• Google Toolbar (http://toolbar.google.com)
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05 November 2007:
HEAL E-MAIL HEADACHES
If you have used Outlook Express  the e-mail program built into Windows XP  you have probably experienced some stressful, headache-inducing moments while attempting to use or repair its features. In that case, consider the fixes here to be an easy-to-swallow digital aspirin.
Back Up E-Mail
How important are the e-mail messages stored on your computer? If they were suddenly wiped out by a hard-drive crash, would your job or personal life suffer? Just like the other files on your computer, your e-mail should be backed up on a regular basis to prevent it from being lost forever. Follow
these steps:
1. Open Outlook Express.
2. Click the Tools drop-down menu.
3. Select Options.
4. A window opens. Click the Maintenance tab.
5. Next to Click Store Folder to Change the Location of Your Message Store, click the Store Folder button.
6. A new window opens. Press the Tab key a few times until all of the words are highlighted underneath the Your Personal Message Store Is Located in the Following Folder heading.
7. Simultaneously press the Ctrl key and the C key, which copies the highlighted text.
8. Click the Start button in the lower-left corner of Windows.
9. Click Run.
10. A window opens. Simultaneously press the Ctrl key and the V key, which pastes the text from Outlook Express.
11. Click the OK button or press the Enter key.
12. A folder opens that contains special dbx files that store your e-mail. Use your backup device  like a CD or DVD burner  to copy
these files.
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06 November 2007:
Import E-Mail
If you are switching computers, upgrading to a new computer, or recovering from a hard-drive crash, you can easily import your old e-mail into the new system (assuming you previously backed up those messages). Here’s how:
1. If you previously backed up your e-mail folders onto a device like an external hard drive or a rewritable CD/DVD disc, then you must transfer those e-mail folders to your new computer. Be sure to copy them to My Documents or a similar location where they can be quickly and easily found.
Note: You must transfer all of your e-mail folders — not just some. Otherwise, Outlook Express gives you an error message when you try to import them.
2. Open Outlook Express.
3. Click the File drop-down menu.
4. Select Import.
5. Select Messages.
6. The Outlook Express Import window opens. Scroll down and click Microsoft Outlook Express 6.
7. Click the Next button.
8. A new window opens. Toward the bottom of it, click the Import Mail from an OE6 Store Directory button.
9. Click the OK button.
10. Click the Browse button, and then select the folder where you just placed your backed-up e-mail folders.
11. Click the OK button, and then click the Next button.
12. In the next window, choose whether to import all e-mail folders or just certain ones. Then, click the Next button.
13. Your messages are imported into Outlook Express. When the process is complete, click the Finish button.
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07 November 2007:
Automatically Spell Check E-Mail
To save yourself the embarrassment of sending an e-mail full of misspelled
words, you can configure Outlook Express to automatically spell check your
messages before sending them.
1. Open Outlook Express.
2. Click the Tools drop-down menu.
3. Select Options.
4. A window opens. Click the Spelling tab.
5. Under the Settings heading, put a checkmark in the Always Check Spelling Before Sending box.
6. Click the Apply button.
7. Click the OK button.
If Spell Check Is Missing
Unfortunately, Outlook Express doesn’t have a built-in spell checker. Instead, it uses the one that comes with Microsoft Office programs like Word and Excel. If you want the ability to spell check your Outlook Express e-mail, you have two options:
• Purchase Microsoft Office software (which can be pricey).
• Download an add-on program that gives you full spell check functionality without spending a fortune. Here are two such programs:
• Spellex-Anywhere (http://www.spellex.com/products/spxa/default.htm) can be used for Outlook Express as well as Yahoo mail, Internet forms or forums, and more.
• SpellCheckAnywhere (http://www.spellcheckanywhere.com) works with most Windows programs, including Outlook Express and Internet Explorer.
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08 November 2007:
Repair a Malfunctioning Spell Check
Do you have Microsoft Office software installed on your computer but still
receive a message like “An error occurred while the spelling was being
checked”? Or are you told “The spell check on this document was halted. Do
you want to send anyway?” If so, it is possible that a file is corrupt. Here’s how
to correct the problem:
1. Locate your Windows XP CD-ROM, and then insert it into the CD/DVD drive in your computer.
2. If you have the AutoPlay feature enabled, the CD automatically launches.You should see a window that says “Welcome to Microsoft Windows XP: What do you want to do?” Exit this window by clicking the X button in the upper-right corner.
3. Click the Start button in the lower-left corner of Windows.
4. Click Run.
5. A window opens. In this window, type expand D:\I386\CSAPI3T1.DL_C:\CSAPI3T1.DLL
Note: This example assumes that Windows is installed on your C: drive, and your CD or DVD drive is installed as the D: drive. If this is not the case with your computer, then simply replace C: with the letter of the drive on which you installed Windows and/or replace D: with the appropriate letter for your CD or DVD drive.
6. After typing the command into the window labeled Run, click the OK button or press the Enter key.
7. Windows quickly extracts the file you need and places it on your C: drive. The entire process only takes a few seconds. Next, double-click the My Computer icon on your desktop.
8. Double-click the C: icon.
9. In your C: drive, find the csapi3t1.dll file. Right-click this file, and then select Cut.
10 Staying in the C: drive, double-click the Program Files folder.
11. Double-click the Common Files folder.
12. Double-click the Microsoft Shared folder.
13. Double-click the Proof folder.
14. Inside this folder, right-click the empty space and select Paste.
15. You may get a message that says, “This folder already contains a file named ‘csapi3t1.dll’ — would you like to replace the existing file?” If you see this message, click the Yes button.
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09 November 2007:
Back Up the Address Book
When backing up your data, don’t forget about your address book, which contains the names, numbers, and addresses of your friends, family, and other contacts. Follow these steps:
1. Open Outlook Express.
2. Click the File drop-down menu.
3. Select Export.
4. Select Address Book.
5. The Address Book Export Tool window opens. Click Text File (Comma Separated Values).
6. Click the Export button.
7. A window opens. Type a name for your address book.
8. Click the Browse button to select the location where you want to save your address book, such as My Documents or another folder where it can be easily located.
9. Click the Next button.
10. You are given the option to select the specific details you want to save in your exported address book, such as the person’s full name, e-mail address, phone numbers, and so on. To select a particular detail, put a checkmark in the box next to it. To unselect a detail, remove the checkmark from the box next to it.
11. Click the Finish button.Your address book is saved to the location you
previously chose.
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10 November 2007:
Import an Address Book
If you have already backed up your address book, transferring it to a new or
different computer is a breeze. Just do this:
1. Open Outlook Express.
2. Click the File drop-down menu.
3. Select Import.
4. Select Other Address Book.
5. The Address Book Import Tool window opens. Click Text File (Comma Separated Value).
6. Click the Import button.
7. Click the Browse button, and then select the folder where your backed-up address book is located (the address book has the file extension .csv).
8. Once you have located the address book, single-click it, and then click
the button labeled Open.
9. You are returned to the previous screen. Click the Next button.
10. Under Map the Fields You Wish to Import, select or deselect the contact information you want to import, such as name, address, phone number, e-mail address, and so on. When you are done, click the Finish button.
11. After a moment or two, you are presented with the message, “Address
Book Import Process Has Completed.” Click the OK button.
12. You are returned to the Address Book Import Tool. If there are no more address books to import, then click the Close button.
13. To view your restored address book, click the Tools drop-down menu,
and then select Address Book.
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11 November 2007:
Change the Location of Your Stored E-Mail
Once in a while, you may find yourself wanting to grab one of the Windows XP designers by the shirt collar and ask, “What the heck were you thinking?” Such is the case with the Outlook Express e-mail folders. For some strange reason, these folders are buried deep within Windows, making it difficult to back them up. To save yourself time and stress, consider changing their location as follows:
1. Choose a drive or folder where you would like to store your e-mail. Pick one that is easy to access and to remember (such as the My Documents folder).
2. To make it even easier to access your e-mail, create a new folder in that location and give it an easily identifiable name.
3. After opening the drive or folder where you want to store your e-mail, click the File drop-down menu located in the upper-left corner of Windows.
4. Select New.
5. Select Folder.
6. A new folder appears. Rename it My E-Mail or something similar that is easy to recognize.
7. Open Outlook Express.
8. Click the Tools drop-down menu.
9. Select Options.
10. A window opens. Click the Maintenance tab.
11. Next to Click Store Folder to Change the Location of your Message Store, click the Store Folder button.
12. A window opens. Click the Change button.
13. Another window opens. In it, browse through the contents of your hard drive until you locate the new e-mail folder you just created in the previous steps.
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12 November 2007:
Speed Up a Slow Outlook Express
If Outlook Express takes an unusually long time to open, it could be the result of a change made to the instant-messaging program known as Windows Messenger. Because of the link between these two programs, Outlook Express can be affected when Windows Messenger is prevented from launching or is completely disabled. A quick way to fix this problem is to disable the Contacts pane in Outlook Express, like this:
1. Open Outlook Express.
2. Click the View drop-down menu.
3. Select Layout.
4. Under the Basic heading, remove the checkmark from the Contacts box .
5. Click the Apply button.
6. Click the OK button.
Note
If you do not want to disable the Contacts pane, you will have to edit the Windows Registry.
1. Click the Start button in the lower-left corner of Windows.
2. Click Run.
3. A window opens. Type regedit in the blank, and then click the OK button or press the Enter key.
4. The Windows Registry Editor opens. In the left window pane, doubleclick the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE registry key.
5. A new column of registry keys appears. Double-click Software.
6. A long column of registry keys appears. Scroll down until you find Microsoft, and then double-click it.
7. Another long list of registry keys appears. Scroll down and single-click Outlook Express.
8. Click the Edit drop-down menu located in the upper-left corner of the Windows Registry Editor.
9. Select New.
10. Select DWORD Value.
11. In the right window pane, a new registry value appears. Rename it Hide Messenger.
12. After renaming the value, double-click it to open it.
13. Under the Value Data heading, type 2 and then click the OK button.
14. Exit the Registry Editor by clicking the X button in the upper-right corner.
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13 November 2007:
View a Blocked E-Mail Attachment
The maximum security settings for Outlook Express automatically block some attachments you receive. This only applies to attachments like executable programs that are widely regarded as carriers of viruses or other digital threats. If you want to receive a blocked attachment, you can temporarily disable this feature:
1. Open Outlook Express.
2. Click the Tools drop-down menu.
3. Select Options.
4. A window opens. Click the Security tab.
5. Remove the checkmark in the Do Not Allow Attachments to Be Saved or
Opened that Could Potentially Be a Virus box.
6. Click the Apply button.
7. Click the OK button.
8. When you finish viewing or opening the attachment, return to the Security tab and put back the checkmark in the Do Not Allow Attachments to Be Saved or Opened that Could Potentially Be a Virus box.
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14 November 2007:
Create an E-Mail Shortcut
If you frequently send e-mail to the same contact, here is a great way to save time: create a shortcut on your desktop that instantly opens a new e-mail window and automatically fills in your contact’s address.
1. Right-click the empty space on your desktop.
2. Select New.
3. Click Shortcut.
4. The Create Shortcut window opens. In the Type the Location of the Item box, type mailto: followed immediately by an e-mail address. For example, mailto:info@xxxxxxxxxx.com.
5. Click the Next button.
6. In the Type a Name box, type a few words that will help you to identify the shortcut. For example, you could name it E-Mail Shortcut to Xxxxxxxxxx.
7. Click the Finish button. The new e-mail shortcut is created on your desktop.
8. Double-click the shortcut to open an e-mail window where you can compose a message.
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15 November 2007:
View and Print E-Mail Without the “>” Symbol
Often the e-mail you receive is full of annoying “greater than” symbols (>),
which can be a nuisance when you are trying to read or print your messages. Here is an easy way to rid yourself of that pesky symbol:
1. Select all of the text inside an e-mail, and then simultaneously press the Ctrl key and the C key.
2. Open a new, blank document inside a word-processing program like Microsoft Word.
3. Paste the text of your e-mail into the new document by simultaneously pressing the Ctrl key and the V key.
4. Use the program’s Find and Replace feature to locate all of the > symbols in your text and replace them with a blank space. To do this in Microsoft Word:
a. Click the Edit drop-down menu.
b. Select Replace.
c. A window opens. Type > (the “greater than” symbol) in the Find What box.
d. In the Replace With box, do not type anything (leave it blank).
e. Click the Replace All button.
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16 November 2007:
Remove Wasted Space
A simple way to protect your e-mail folders from being damaged — and to make Outlook Express perform better — is to compact your messages, which will remove any wasted space. Here’s how:
1. Open Outlook Express.
2. Click the Tools drop-down menu.
3. Select Options.
4. A window opens. Click the Maintenance tab.
5. Click the Clean Up Now button located on the right side of the window.
6. A new window opens. Look for Wasted Space. Next to this, you will see the amount of wasted space in your e-mail folders. If this amount is greater than five percent, click the Compact button.
7. Outlook Express begins to compact your e-mail, which will remove the wasted space.
Warning
It is critical that you leave your computer alone during this time. Failure to do so could cause your e-mail to become corrupted and inaccessible.
8. When the compacting is complete, click the Close button.
A Tip A day ~ {ERG}
Oct 30 2007, 11:07 AM
